CRP Blog

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Murtha Inc: Still Morally Bankrupt

SPIN CYCLE:DEMOCRATS EMPHATICALLY PROMISED TO HOLD MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR EARMARKS

Democrat Leader Steny Hoyer: "[W]e would end the dead-of-night, special-interest provisions that turn bills into special-interest giveaways… With this agenda, Democrats will create the most open and honest government in history, and we will put power back where it belongs, in the hands of all of the American people." (Press Conference, 1/18/06)

RINSE CYCLE:SPEAKER PELOSI'S TOP CHOICE FOR MAJORITY LEADER, SELF-DECLARED MEMBER OF THE 'F-ING' HOUSE LEADERSHIP JACK MURTHA, STEERS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EARMARKS TO BENEFIT HIS DISTRICT - MORE THAN ANY OTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS

"In the massive 2008 military-spending bill now before Congress…Mr. Murtha has steered more taxpayer funds to his congressional district than any other member. The Democratic lawmaker is chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, which will oversee more than $459 billion in military spending this year.

"Johnstown's good fortune has come at the expense of taxpayers everywhere else. Defense contractors have found that if they open an office here and hire the right lobbyist, they can get lucrative, no-bid contracts."

"A review by The Wall Street Journal of dozens of contracts funded by Mr. Murtha's committee shows that many weren't sought by the military or federal agencies they were intended to benefit. Some were inefficient or mismanaged, according to interviews, public records and previously unpublished Pentagon audits. One Murtha-backed firm, ProLogic Inc., is under federal investigation for allegedly diverting public funds to develop commercial software, people close to the case say."

"Mr. Murtha has steered at least $600 million in earmarks to his district in the past four years…he's sent $2 billion or more to the district since joining the appropriations committee in 1992."

"[Mr. Murtha’s]…campaign coffers have risen since he became chairman of the defense-spending panel. In the first nine months of this year, Mr. Murtha's campaign committees have reported contributions of more than $1.05 million."

"Seated with the FBI agent [during the 1980 ABSCAM sting], Mr. Murtha also explained why he needed to be more careful than other lawmakers, including the two he later testified against. 'I expect to be in the f-ing leadership of the House,' he told the agent. ‘I'm delighted to do business with you. S-, I do business like this all the time to get companies into the area.'" (Wall Street Journal, 10/30/07)